The Prime Minister is not going to announce further Covid restrictions today after being briefed on the latest data by health chiefs.

Boris Johnson was scheduled to meet with chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, to discuss the impact of soaring case numbers on our hospitals.

But following what is described as an internal government meeting, the Press Association is reporting there will be no announcement on fresh restrictions.

If no new measures are introduced, it would leave England at odds with other parts of the UK, which have been subjected to post-Christmas restrictions.

And later, Health Secretary, Sajid Javid confirmed there would be no new restrictions introduced until the New Year.

Conservative MPs had urged caution in going beyond Plan B in England, with veteran Tory Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown calling for a “wait-and-see” approach to the impact of rising case numbers amid the spread of the Omicron variant.

Recent figures released earlier today showed Covid cases in the county have soared past the 55,000 mark over the Christmas weekend.

Sir Geoffrey said he hoped the Prime Minister would be “very cautious before introducing further measures” as he pushed for people to be able to “make their own decisions” when it came to taking precautions against infection.

The comments come as restrictions were brought in across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the Scottish government ordering nightclubs to close from Monday, while hospitality businesses will need to return to offering only table service if serving alcohol.

England is currently under the UK government’s Plan B rulebook, with guidance to work from home, mask wearing in shops and other public settings, and Covid passes to gain entry to large events.

Mr Johnson has yet to announce any further rules for England but has indicated he will not hesitate to act if required amid rising cases of the Omicron variant.

Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said the number of hospital staff absences due to Covid infections will likely play a part in the government’s thinking on whether to go further than Plan B.

“Clearly there are still large numbers of new cases being detected,” he told the Press Association.

“I assume that hospital bed occupancy and staff absences due to isolation rules will be the critical factors on the public health side of any decision.”

Last Tuesday there were 206 people with Covid in Kent's hospitals - an increase of 17% in a week.

It remains to be seen if rising rates have seen patient numbers surge further, with the figures not published until this Thursday.